


Objection! Ace Attorney

by Dhampyr



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Law Enforcement, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pre-Relationship, Wizarding Culture (Harry Potter), Wizarding World (Harry Potter)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-11-07 23:20:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20825480
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dhampyr/pseuds/Dhampyr
Summary: Gringotts isn't happy with the events following the Potters death. And while the goblins will not risk to take arms despite their furious envy to do so, nothing stops them to hire a young and fierce, genius, attorney feared in almost every court of Magical Europe to do their bidding. And nothing will stop him to take great pleasure while doing so.





	1. "That would be my client"

**Author's Note:**

> Hello. This is my first fic and I'm not a native English speaker (though I'm fairly confident in my skills and used Grammarly to correct eventual mistakes). So absolutely do not hesitate to tell me if something throws you off during your reading, be it a misspelling, a missing word, etc.

The first word who come to mind when one's thoughts turn to goblins is grumpy. Or, granted, a synonymous. A wizard walking in that particular office of Gringotts, in that particular meeting between the Director, the Head of Security, both the Account's Manager of Sirius Black and the Potters and last but not least the Head of the Inheritance Office... Yes, a wizard walking in would not take the time to think as his body would immediately take over and start running to stay alive. Maybe would he stop to take a breath and even eat something while looking over his shoulder but he would definitely not think about that office until, years later, he would be found by an adventurous hiker hiding in a tree and forced to see a mind healer and pass the rest of his life in the safety of the psychiatric ward.

#So, Hammertooth, what about Sirius Black's trial?# asked the Director. #Still pending, according to the files. Not likely to ever happen, I believe.# shrugged Hammertooth, with a nasty look. #And the Potter's will? What happened to it?# asked the Director, this time to the Head of the Inheritance Office... Who was the more murderous of them all, if possible - because, quite frankly, is it possible to be more murderous to a bunch of goblins already contemplating on how to kill as many wizards possible in the least amount of time? And who had already jotted down quite the amount of really nasty ideas? Daggerbeard took a breath before answering, in a calm voice with icy fury on it, #We have, of course, already took care of the financial aspect of it. Every monetary deposit required by the Potters have been made, the change of ownership of one manor is still going on since we haven't yet tracked down the heir for that. What is particularly concerning, though, is the placement of the son. He was supposed to go either to Sirius Black or Alice Longbottom. Since both are... indisposed, for the moment, we were considering giving him temporarily to Augusta Longbottom, as it should be. But Dumbledore took him right after the death and told us the child was with his mother's relatives, hidden behind blood wards. Their will clearly state that the boy should never fall under the guardianship of these muggles.# He was staring at a file on the office of the Director like he could hear him cry for mercy and wished not to grant him it. #What do we know about these blood wards?# It was the Head of Security who answered this time: #They hid the boy well, but are linked to intentions. When we manage to find him since we don't have ill wills toward him, we won't have any problem.# #Good# answered the Director. #Now, what was it about the key to the Potters' vaults?#

* * *

Llewellyn Ward was a happy wizard. Recent graduate of the Durmstrang Institute, having successfully acquired his diplomas in international, French, German, Italian and British laws and pursuing the merry business of any lawyer. His speciality was criminal law and while he had a nice office as a junior associate in a great firm he was never truly happy but when he had the opportunity to, as he said, "put it in the arse" of a government or a big company - and at home with his young wife and his adorable son. And his name was already one of the ones that were only whispered in the offices of those who had the unfortunate idea to challenge him in court. Even some judges dreaded the idea to have this young attorney in their court. But today he was probably the happiest he ever was except for his wedding and the birth of his son because of what he just heard from his mentor. Gringotts wanted to hire him to ensure the infamous Sirius Black got a trial and charge one quite famous Albus Dumbledore with kidnapping, fraud and identity theft. He couldn't stop the grin. The papers had already written stories and speculations about the Boy-Who-Lived, the defeat of the self-proclaimed British Dark Lord and the treason of the boy's godfather and his murderous rampage in a muggle street. "I guess it's a yes then" was all his mentor said with a chuckle before dismissing him so he could prepare for his trip.

* * *

A few days later, a quite surprised Sirius Black was transferred from Azkaban to a high-security cell in London, where he was told to await his trial where he would be sentenced to the Kiss. He didn't really care for the threat, he didn't even hope for a trial before that. He had been so stupid to let Hagrid took Harry and to go after Peter alone. He just hoped that Alice took good care of his godson. He was even more surprised when after his first night of good sleep, one of the guards brought him to the visitation area, telling him with a sneer that his lawyer wanted to meet him.

The young man - because he was young, maybe younger than him - who greeted him on the area was well-dressed with a bottle green cloak over a nice grey shirt and black trousers, though it was all a bit fade compared to his bright blue hair. That was probably the most recent lawyer in Britain and he couldn't get away from refusing a public appointment by the DMLE. He was quickly corrected when, after the guards had left them, the lawyer threw a bunch of privacy spell and sat down. "I guess, Mr Black, that you must be quite confused. I will give you a rundown of what transpired during the last month and why I am here today, I will answer your questions at the best of my abilities and then we will get to work. First of all, I have been hired by Gringotts and they're the ones who pay my fees, so that's one thing you don't need to worry about. Second of all, you and Alice Longbottom were to be the guardians of Harry Potter if something happened to his parents as stated in their will. Thirdly, well... Since both of you are... indisposed... Young Harry should have gone, per the regulations of Gringotts, the will and the laws of Britain to Augusta Longbottom, who's already caring for her grandson. Instead, Albus Dumbledore have removed Mr Potter from the wizarding world and trusted him to one Petunia Dursley, née Evans, sister of Lily Potter. They're hidden behind powerful wards, but the goblins are tracking them down. As soon as your trial his over - and do know that they don't care about the result - they will take Mr Potter back and trust him in the care of the most suited person. And, of course, I will be charging Mr Dumbledore with kidnapping, at least." The lawyer stopped, seemingly breathing for the first time since he started talking. "Questions, Mr Black?". Sirius had a lot to ask and the only question Ward could not answer was if the Longbottoms were expected to make a full recovery and if so, how long would it take?

Ward had only a few questions and told so to his client, his hair turned grey. " I will be blunt Mr Black. Gringotts does not care if you're guilty or not and even less about the result of this trial. But they cannot close your account if you're not legally condemned and it will cost them more money to keep it open that is contained in your vault. But they know quite well that I don't lose a trial. So... Were you the Secret Keeper of James and Lily Potter?" Sirius looked at him, a bit shell-shocked by the question before anger took over "No! It was Peter! That blasted rat! Setting me up by cutting his own finger before turning into the rat he is!" He loosed himself in a fit of rage, suddenly standing up and tearing on his clothes, revealing a bare left arm. "I'm not a bloody Death Eater and I would never do anything to harm James and Lily and little Harry...". He looked in the blue eyes of his lawyer, who was patiently waiting for him to calm down. " Sorry, Mr Ward. It's just... I don't get how so many people could think so poorly of me... ". " Your reaction is totally understandable, Mr Black. Though I will ask you to stay dressed while in court. Would you mind trusting me with memories of that day? So that I can use it as proof and build my case on that?"

* * *

Later that day, in the office Gringotts had put at his disposal, Llewellyn was lost in his thoughts. He had already felt disgust on his life, and once even for a client. He had felt disdain for everything British while studying the laws of the land and learning how they dealt with the aftermath of the war. What happened in the memories trusted to him by Sirius Black, though, had left him to an unbearable sadness and a craving for a few dozens of shots of vodka, at least - just what he would require to pass out. But as time went on, he was surged by a will: the will to free this man and having him caring for his precious godson. Other muggleborns - though he was raised with wizards, his grandma being a squib - made a joke of him being as stubborn and driven as Stalin. And equally frightening. He wrote a letter to Remus Lupin, hoping the man would respond to this one and accept to meet him. He knew the man was a werewolf and that he was probably hurt it caused his friends to distrust him during the war, but a quality required for every good lawyer and trained in him by years interacting with his metamorphomagus-full family on the Russian side, was body-reading. And from what he saw in the memories, Lupin was a gentle and reasonable man, who would be relieved to know that his best friend didn't kill the other two - not that he did not try for the rat. Also, he would make an excellent witness if the court reacted as he expected. He didn't care to stop the dark chuckle, soon turning in an evil laugh. In the office next to his, Gringotts' Director couldn't repress a grin as he watch Lucius Malfoy shuddered before him.

The next morning, Llewellyn dressed to impress. He bore an Acromantula web grey shirt, partly covered by a dark lethifold vest, with black trousers. Dragonhide boots and gloves, a blood-red cloak and goblin-silver jewellery - a broach and cufflinks - completed his clothes. What would really be impressive though would be the ice-cold blue eyes and white hair he took from a picture of Grindelwald. He had an appointment with the DMLE today and was planning on making a grand entrance for the British. The fact that they weren't informed of this appointment was definitely _not_ something who would make a smile play on his lips, of course. He put the vials of memories in the designed compartment of his attaché-case and took the floo toward the ministry of magic.

The Atrium of the ministry was brimming with activities but he didn't care to look around. He walked to the reception desk in great, confident strides and spoke before the witch in duty could interrogate him. "Llewellyn Ward, attorney-at-law for Delacour, Molohov & Ward.", he informed while putting his card on the desk in a cold voice. " I'm here to see Mr Bartemius Crouch Senior, regarding a case." The witch was taken aback and stuttered "Do you have an appointment?". The young attorney crushed the pity he started to feel in favour of the poor girl, instead putting on his best predatory smile. "It is my duty as an attorney, as state article 5, Alinea c, paragraph 8 of the Code of Conduct of British Attorneys that I swore to observe two years ago, that I shall bring to the DMLE every memory-proof in favour of my client to be checked by a sworn-in clerk and put under a locked stasis charm by that same clerk... Now, I understand that the DMLE have no one working at this post for the moment, otherwise, I would have of course took an appointment with that clerk." The witch was at a loss of word and, eyes-wide wrote something on a piece of parchment who transfigured itself as a badge. She was going to give it to him when he reached out with his wand so to put it on the magical scales. The receptionist heavily blushed and, as the propriety of his wand appeared on parchment, muttered them under her breath "Aspen wood, white river monster spine core, 12 inches, flexible... It's quite an original wand, Mr Ward... ". For an answer, the witch only obtained a raised eyebrow and she returned the wand and the badge. " The DMLE is on the second level, sir." He nodded and took off, badge stick to his vest. The badge read "Attorney Ward, administrative and legal inquiries addressed to the DMLE, visitor" and managed to attract a number of odd stares from the ministry employees who managed to read it. They were quickly refrained from asking questions by the icy demeanour of said attorney.

* * *

The DMLE was a sort of great hall with a number of desk placed seemingly at random covered in files, carefully enclosed dark artefacts and of course diverse objects and amulets designed to warn and shield their users of a number of danger. Llewellyn hid his smirk while wandlessly throwing a charm who would cause such objects to go on and off on his passage. A little trick but useful to throw the opposition off balance. Of course, he was almost immediately stopped by an Auror. One with a number of scars on his face. He remembered from the papers that it was Alastor Moody, a fervent, paranoid opponent to anything dark. Once again, he refrained a smirk, only levelling him with cold eyes. Some of his friends were Aurors and they had stated a lot that their British counterparts were the shame of the profession. From what he had seen in his files and during his studies, the blame was more on the legal and judiciary system than on the men themselves. That knowledge didn't stop him from showing arrogance though.

"I wish to meet Mr Crouch regarding the case of Sirius Black." Silence fell upon the hall like an iron curtain and he was amused to see disgust and hatred boil in the single eye of the Auror facing him. "So you're the one defending that traitor scum! No wonder you set our detectors on." His voice really was filled with disgust mused Llewellyn. "Maybe we should have a little talk, you and me, hmm?" The auror was definitely too close for the taste of the young lawyer facing him and clearly drinking his coffee Irish. He drew a notepad from the pocket of his shirt and raised an eyebrow at the sudden appearance of wands pointed at him from every direction. He jotted down a few things on his notepad and smiled. "Must I remind you that, as a Russian-American citizen, I am protected by the Treaty of Moscow, 1887, and the Treaty of New-York, 1936? And, of course, as a sworn-in attorney, by British law? Please, do hex me. It would be quite a pleasure to remind everyone in this room the power of uncorrupted law and to ruin your lives and your ministry while I'm at it." His unpleasant, sadistic even, smirk and his cold arrogance was not what the Aurors were expecting. The quotation of international treaties neither, considering. "What did you write?" barked Moody. Again, raise of an eyebrow. "Why, only a few notes, just in case my client wish to charge you for slander." he was answered in a pleasant tone, who grew colder following. "And definitely some for the report I will present to the Justice Department of the ICW. Don't worry though... I am used to threats and it will not be the biggest point of my report. The numerous violations of inalienable rights recognized in the Statement of Magical Beings' Rights which Britain signed in 1867 and again in 1943 following the addition of the nicknamed "werewolf clause", even if the paragraphs in question include vampires, half-giant and, quite frankly, a number of hybrids I never thought were possible before reading it... That will be the biggest point, I think. May I see Mr Crouch now?"

The voice who answered, coming from behind him, was strained by fatigue and stress. "Come into my office, Mr Ward and please excuse my men for their... caution. We had a few rough years." Llewellyn turned slowly. The man who spoke was small with hair already turning to grey and, from his posture, could certainly be a fierce enemy on a battleground despite the evident fatigue. He nodded. "Perfectly understandable, but not excusable sir. I maybe be used to be threatened in regard to my profession, it is not something I will accept when those threats are unjustified while I am under the protection of the laws I swore to both serve and observe." Crouch only nodded, his eyes saddened, and took to his office, one of the four who were closed, at the end of the hall. "Return to work, men." While he was following the Head of the DMLE, Llewellyn could feel the glare from Alastor Moody and see the rest of the Aurors look at their devices suspiciously, as if they have felt the things bite them but didn't have any proof.

The office, while spacious, was spartan in matters of decorations, with only a few sleeping portraits and a wedding picture who obviously represented the Crouches. They both sat and Crouch immediately summoned a house-elf and asked for tea with some scones. Llewellyn had put his attaché-case next to his seat and waited silently. "I wished to thank you for reporting the lack of trial and investigation regarding Sirius. We no more are in wartime, as you pointed, and as such he does deserve a trial even though I'm not sure of why you took interest in this. I will not lie, I asked a few questions about you: a muggle father partner in a wizarding law firm, a muggle mother with a family connection via a squib to the director of Durmstrang Institute and yourself who, two years after having graduated, had achieve the feat to obtain licence to exercise in numerous countries, including mine... All of that is unheard of in Britain, though I came to understand that the muggles politics in eastern Europe had led to a number of arrangements concerning the security of muggleborns' family." He took a pause, sipping his tea, his eyes becoming more piercing. "How come did you take the case of young Mr Black?". Llewellyn smiled, adding a bit of lemon and two sugars in his own cup before whirling it with a spoon. " Client confidentiality sir. Answering you would go against my contract. But regarding Mr Black... I wish to introduce memories as proof. To do so, they need to be check by a sworn-in clerk to assure they have not been tampered with and put under a locked stasis charm. I would have gone through the proper channels if there was a sworn-in clerk but I discovered that the last one died at the beginning of the war and have not been yet replaced?". Again, Crouch eyes seemed to be haunted. "Yes... It has posed a number of problems regarding the last trials, but it seems no one wish to take the post...".

Llewellyn took a sip, while he let his eyes slowly turn to a warm green. " Well... There is a precedent, in which case the head of the DMLE took the oath...". He paused, letting the idea sink in and added "Of course, you would not be able to sit as judge and would have to let the seat to someone else. Regarding the precedent, who took place in 1797 in the case of Malfoy vs Weasley, the Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot took the role for the trial..." They drank in silence for a moment, Llewellyn helping himself to a few scones. Crouch broke it with a simple statement. "You're a metamorphomagus." "I am". " So... Everything outside was a show, I guess. Why did you reveal it?". The voice of the older wizard was full of distrust and anger. "I change my appearance according to what I want to show to the people around me. And sometimes, I fully admit, to what my wife wants to see." Llewellyn had made his voice as soothing as he could, which was quite a lot since it was part of the intense training his father and his associates had put him under. "Since you will not seat as a judge, there's no need to intimidate you." Crouch eyed him a bit warily before relaxing.

"Fine, I'll take the oath and owl Dumbledore that he is to take my place as judge."

"Hmm... Well, that's where it becomes a bit awkward... He won't be able to.". In less than a breath, the ice blue eyes were back. " I hereby inform you, in my capacity as attorney and per request of the clients I represent in this affair, namely Sirius Black and Gringotts Bank, that we accuse the wizard Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore of kidnapping, identity theft and financial fraud." He drew a heavy file from his case, putting it on the desk. "My clients, as is their lawful right, request the immediate arrest of said Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore and the perquisition of his properties as to find more evidence of the charges, retrieve Mr Harry Potter, one-year-old and victim of said charge of kidnapping and the property of said Mr Potter, notably his key vault but not excluding the possibility of other thefts."

Crouch, already pale thanks to week with almost no sleep and a diet of tea and not much else now looked sick and ready to pass out. "You can't be serious?!"

"That would be my client, sir."


	2. Let Severus Snape deal with the consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello there! Writing this chapter was a lot more difficult than I expected because I wanted to put a lot of things in it and didn't know how to put them all together in an organic way. So I decided that some information could wait and other things were more important.

While Crouch was giving orders for the Aurors to immediately arrest Albus Dumbledore and to treat him as a fugitive if he went to escape, Llewellyn was humming to himself while putting the vials of memories on the desk. Crouch came back five minutes later, after screaming against some of his men to move or he would personally hex them in prison for insubordination. He was followed by a man in his mid-thirties, looking at his boss and the attorney as if they would suddenly start firing Unforgivables in the middle of the ministry. Crouch slipped back on his chair, motioning for the other man to sit beside the attorney.

"Lawrence, this is Mr Ward, attorney, who will act as the defence for Sirius Black. He asked to include memories as proof of this case and that I act exceptionally as the sworn-in clerk, as there his a legal precedent apparently. As such, I won't be able to accomplish my duties as a judge..." The other man, Lawrence, was frowning and looking alternately at the memories, his boss and the attorney, not understanding why he was there. "So I want you, as you're my Deputy, to witness my oath and to act as judge during the trial of Black."  
Said Lawrence was now looking his Head of Department directly in the eyes, flabbergasted by the news. He took a breath and slowly nodded.

* * *

Llewellyn spent the following week preparing both trials. For Black, he just reviewed legal texts and precedents and particularly the Statement from 1943. Dumbledore's prosecution would be more tricky though. First, he received several letters from known members of the ICW, the Wizengamot and from his old friend Andryusha, the heir to the Russian empire, who told him he was just sending a letter to pleased the ICW and continued by asking news of his family and remembering that times where they lost their other friends during a hunt and spend two days alone in the Siberian tundra and how he loved it when Llewellyn would blush just seeing him half-naked. Llewellyn answered that he was fine and imbued a nasty curse who would not be detected - he invented it - in the parchment. Then came the problem of testimony. The proofs Gringotts had acquired were damning but by themselves, they wouldn't suffice. Not in Britain, where the guy was seen like half-deity. So he had to come up with a plan. And fucking good witnesses too. The fact that the Aurors had retrieved the Potters' key vault and what the goblins identified as a "family heirloom of great value" without saying more of his nature was a bonus of course... But still insufficient. Of course, Rubeus Hagrid, to whom Sirius had trusted the child was to be interrogated. When answering the ministry summoning, the man was crying, claiming Albus Dumbledore was a hero and a good man, but he did say that little Potter was living with his aunt at Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging in Surrey and that Professor McGonagall didn't like those Muggles. So of course, Llewellyn went to Hogwarts to meet with her.

When he saw the Scottish castle, Llewellyn was impressed. And being part of Russian nobility and was regularly invited to hunting games and balls, it did take a lot to impress him. But the castle was shimmering with magic, clearly constructed upon the intersection of four ley lines at least. He took a breath, comparing as he went the beauty of the high towers to the severity of Durmstrang Institute. When he entered the castle itself, he was almost overwhelmed by the atmosphere. He had chosen his favourite appearance for this meeting, dark blue hair with grey eyes and the aristocratic features he inherited of his mother, in a three-piece suit à la No-Maj made in Devil's snare fibre with some Niffler's Fancy leaves to give it a coppery shimmer. The students he asked for directions to McGonagall's office were awe-struck by this wizard who pictures were in the papers every day as British reporters seemed hell-bent to uncover the mysteries of this lawyer. When he knocked on the door and had waited for fifteen minutes, he conjured an armchair where he sat comfortably and picked a book about how to banish ghosts and malevolent spirits in his attaché-case. He was in the middle of a chapter listing the pro and cons of the Japanese exorcism when the doors opened to let several teachers out. He sighed, putting a mark where he was in the book like it was the most difficult thing he ever did, stood up and vanished the armchair with a little flick of his wand. "Good day, ladies, sirs. Llewellyn Ward, attorney-at-law...". He was cut by a stern-looking witch. "Every witch and wizard in Britain know who you are, Mr Ward. I'm surprised that you made it, I would have guessed you would be taken by a number of interviews with the press." She guided him inside the office, while the other teachers looked at him with mixed feelings. One of them, a plump looking man, was clearly considering how to best win his favour without betraying the faculty. The witch closed the door and indicated him a chair while sitting behind her desk. "I only give interviews to the press when I'm sure it would be beneficial to my case. Considering the number of anonymous threats and howlers I received since the arrest of Mr Dumbledore - including one in Hindi if you can believe that - I will wait until the end of the trial." He smiled gently to the witch. "I understand that you teach Transfiguration? It was one of my best subjects in school. Do you know why we need to keep a mandrake lead in our mouth for a month to start becoming an Animagus? I have sent letters to a number of Master but none of them had a satisfying answer... Even at Uagadou, they could not provide me with an answer... Excuse me" he added with a sheepish smile when he saw the witch glaring at him " I'm a bit passionate about it, I intended to write a thesis about the ritual and maybe even find a way to simplify it."  
"Did you truly expected to speak craft with me when you tripled my workload, Mr Ward?"._ Oh, she really is not happy about it_. " I have been in weirder situations before, Miss McGonagall. But if you want to go directly to the purpose of my visit... Mr Potter will be retrieved from the Muggles today by Goblins and Ministry officials. And it has come to my attention that you were not happy about this placement in the first place... I understand that you cannot leave the school at this time, given your added duties. As such, I wanted to take your deposition now to avoid you a court summoning." He took a file out of his attaché-case labelled Britania and from this file a roll of parchment. "This is a binding magical contract which have been checked by the DMLE. All you have to do is write your feelings toward the placement of Mr Potter and his Muggle family, what you know of Albus Dumbledore's intentions at the times and in truth everything you might find useful to share about it... Of course, I will be the one to decide if it will be used at all during the trial but as you can see, I already signed the clause guaranteeing that I will not twist your word and contact you if I feel a need for clarification." From what he had gathered about the witch honesty was the best policy. He certainly didn't add this kind of clause usually and still managed to pass this kind of written deposition in court thanks to loopholes and technicalities. And the Babayaga knew that British laws were full of those. But against Dumbledore, cheap tricks wouldn't do. His mind came back to the witch when she sighed. "Can I think about it? I admit that all of this is a bit...". He smiled warmly. " I understand, Miss. But I am on a limited timeline. If in one week I don't have a written deposition, I will have to send an official summon." He stood up. "Now, unless you have questions, I need to see about Mr Potter." When he opened the door to leave the office, he added with a grin "Feel free to seek advice with another lawyer if you manage to find a competent one in this country." And he was gone.

* * *

To Godric's Hollow. He wanted to see, to feel what happened that night. And if he could understand it, even... It would probably add nothing to either case, but the Killing Curse was not something a toddler could resist. Something happened and the academic understanding of the what and the how would revolutionised the teaching of the Dark Arts and their practice. He apparated near the entrance of the village and almost vomited immediately because of the residual stench of the magic who took place here. Pulling a vial of his attaché-case, he gulped the potion who would dim his sensibility. How so many wixen had not noticed it was beyond his comprehension. Surely there were Sensitives in Britain? The gift was rare and he himself could only feel magic because of his animagus form, but still. Though he remembered the horrendous book on British genealogy he studied before taking his bar examination and the fact that many families were inbred. Maybe it was due to that. He put a scarf on his nose, the potion not being enough to entirely make the smell disappear and activated the charm that would make the most comfortable fragrance calm his offended nostrils. The shampoo of his dear wife Marisha, the cologne of is not-just-a-friend Andryusha and the freshly bathed skin of his little Sveta merging together. He wasn't surprised in the list when facing the cottage of the Potters, he discovered the stench came from it. He followed it upstairs, where only his duelling reflex allowed him to duck the cutting curse sent at his throat. Unsheathing his aspen wand, he quickly activated his belt-imbued ward and throw to bones breaking curses toward the hands of his attacker. The cry of pain didn't quite cover the sound of bones being crushed. He maybe had taken it a little too far, but really, no one could blame him.

His aggressor revealed himself to be a young man with dark oily hair and a prominent, though hooked, nose who was now looking at him with all the hatred and rage of... A teenager having been scolded and grounded. The man was at least twenty of age and he seemed to still have that blatant arrogance and rightful anger commonly found in teenagers through thirteen to seventeen years old. British, thought Llewellyn, not for the first time since he came, would be the death of him. Just to avoid further problems, he cast a wordless Incarcifors, the robe of the man turning into heavy silver chains and dropping him down on the floor where his nose broke and he fainted. The attorney looked at him and because he thought he knew who it was, checked his left arm where he saw the Dark Mark for the first time. The thing was ignominious. And that auto-proclaimed Dark Lord really didn't help to promote the Dark Arts in the British Islands. Anyway, he set up to work and cast several analysis spell. He had spent an hour getting frustrated by the absence of useful results, not knowing what exactly he was looking for. There was powerful magic who took place here, just before whatever caused that horrible stench, but he could not pin down the results to know what exactly it was. He was pretty sure some kind of rituals were involved, but no ritual took only a few minutes and none would be able to stop the Killing Curse. And then he saw the blood, just a few drops in front of the crib. It truly felt like Christmas. Knowing he needed to check for blood wards - and giggling at the idea that all British wixen revered a child because his mother used a magic they feared and despised - he got to work and it didn't take long after that for him to find exactly what kind of wards was used here. It was not the kind that was practice, even at Durmstrang were Dark Arts of all kind - except for necromancy - were taught happily. Not when just "practice" would definitely kill the caster. Though he was pretty sure about one fact: anyone who would be stupid enough to throw a Killing Curse at Harry Potter would be in for a single trip to Hell. Such was the nature of the Christ Ward, to immunise the beneficiary to whatever and whoever killed the beneficiary. That piece of knowledge should not be made public.

He dragged the Death Eater outside of the house and throw a perfectly controlled Fiendfyre to it. He apparated back and let Severus Snape deal with the consequence, Dark Mark fully exposed. And then he took a bottle of vodka and the shot glass who came with inside his cabinet and with a determination specific to a russian, he proceeded to empty it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, Christ Ward as in Jesus. The point is: why no-maj could baptized a ship Merlin and wixen not use religion-related things for naming spells and all? plus the guy was obviously a dark wizard, with the "drink my blood" stuff and potentially a necromancer with the resurrection thingy. But a nice one, who was also a great healer and all.  
Anyway, Christianity obviously had an influence on the wizarding world since it was well implemented when the statute of secrecy came into play and the notion of godparents is absolutely a Christian one.
> 
> Next chapter will normally be the trial of Sirius, what happened to Harry and a few heart attacks for Bartemius Sr. (who I always found quite pathetic actually) and a letter. From someone. Who should not have access to any kind of communication if wixen had a bit of common sense.
> 
> Do not hesitate to let comments! Even if it's just "hey, you made a mistake there" that's appreciated. ^^ I also answer to questions if they're no spoilers in the answers, so if something bothers you about this fic, be it about a character, the story so far or the universe... I'm here ;)

**Author's Note:**

> You made it! Congrats!  
Now... If you have any questions whose answer would not particularly spoil the rest of the story, I will answer. If you have any experience working in law, do not hesitate to throw a tip or two while you're at it because except for tv shows, I know nothing law-wise.  
I'm also planning to make a special chapter regarding the treaties Llewellyn mentioned and a few other things. And yes, the legal system of magical Britain, while having heavily suffered from the war was already not quite on point because of corruption, nepotism and a lack of knowledge about laws and their enforcement (I blame their educational system). All that brought situations where it is considered normal to condemned a student who keeps an Acromantula for petrifying students while no Acromantula have ever petrified anyone... Well... Rigor mortis doesn't count, so don't be a smart ass😤


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